IPOH: A father of seven is in jitters as loans taken from illegal moneylenders by his ex-wife led to loan sharks knowing details of his entire family.
“What’s most concerning is that they have information of all my children, including my six-month-old baby,” said the man who only wished to be known as Tang, 33.
He believes that his 28-year-old former wife had debts of about RM130,000 with loan sharks.
The couple, who divorced seven years ago, have five children.
“Four of the children are living with me. One stays with my ex-wife’s father. I have since remarried and now have two more children.
“The situation has become increasingly alarming as the loan sharks appear to have detailed information about my entire family,” he said in a press conference organised by Pasir Pinji assemblyman Goh See Hua here yesterday.
Tang, who is in the funeral service business, said he is constantly worried about the children’s safety.
“I’m not even sure whether it is safe to send them to school.”
He said that both his current wife and him have received threats.
“We have been sent numerous messages demanding immediate repayment,” he said.
The ex-wife’s father, known as Phoon, 50, a hawker, said his daughter left home recently and he has had no contact with her.
“I had been working in Johor for some time and only returned to Ipoh this month.
“That was when my daughter approached me regarding the loan sharks demanding repayment,” he said.
“They have been contacting us through multiple phone numbers and even created WhatsApp groups, adding family members and issuing threats.”
Phoon said they lodged a police report on March 12.
“Since then, we have not been able to contact her.”
He said at least three police reports have been lodged by different parties, including himself and Tang’s current wife.
Phoon urged the loan sharks to stop harassing the family.
“We do not know where she is. We just want them to leave us alone, especially the grandchildren. We fear for our safety,” he said.
Goh cautioned the public about the dangers of borrowing money from loan sharks, more so if they had done it to feed their gambling habit or to live beyond their means.
He also called on loan sharks to act responsibly and to deal directly with the borrower and not harass the family members.
